Defense Department officials announced Wednesday that women would be allowed to serve in front-line combat roles -- effectively opening 230,000 jobs. Here's what the troops had to say.

Many new female soldiers were elated, while those who missed the cutoff or left the military many years ago were more frustrated.

OMG im sooo happy!! They jave finally deciced to lift the ban on women in front line combat!! I GET TO GO INFANTRY IN THE MILITARY YAYYYY!!! :DSam Wilkes

ALL WOMEN are allowed in ALL combat roles in military as of 2016. THIS SOLDIER IS CHANGING HER MOS. #BestNewsEverAngela Schmitt

They already opened up Combat MOSs to Females! First female to sign up is currently at Basic on Fort Jackson. I'm excited finally action!Tasha

Well im glad combat positions opened to women AFTER i secured my MOS....damnit.Erika Watson

About time...

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as a medic I would have gladly gone into the combat zone.. ! At least if you choose that MOS then you can do all the duties .. .if you don't want to go ..then choose another Job.. ! Sunny Walker

My Drill Sergeant would have been so proud. She served in Vietnam twice, carried a pistol, but couldn't particpate in combat. She was determined as WACs and then soldiers within the year, that each female soldier in her platoon would qualify with the M-16 or be a recycle. This is when as a WAC, qualifying with the M-16 was optional. Her position was that in war, humans are reduced to social security numbers, and it was only the paternalistic US Government that made the ridiculous gender separation and policy.I am so proud of my current sisters in arms. Natalie HugginsKaron P. Hardy

I could not serve in a "combat role" when I was in the Army in 1980-1984. My MOS (job) as a 98G Russian Voice Interceptor was to weave in and out of enemy forces on the front lines and report information to the command post. I was considered "support." My life expectancy was 3 minutes. So much for not being in combat. Luckily I served during peacetime. Debra Strickland

This will open up chances for promotion and billets that women had previously been excluded from. When I went into the Navy, I wanted to go into a Nuclear Power training program but was excluded because it was a combat billet. I suppose we make as good cannon fodder as our brothers in arms.Debbie Ledford

For most non-soldiers and some soldiers, the reactions mostly broke down into "at last" among those in favor, and a variety of fitness and safety concerns for those opposed, including worries about what might be done to them should they be captured in battle.

I honestly don't think it's very safe, for anyone, to allow females into infantry.Catherine

@gretawire as a former woman Marine, women do not have the physical strength that it takes to be in a combat MOS (ie- infantry)Debra Jenkins

I love my husband, I know he loves me & respects me as a fellow solider but woman being allowed in the infantry is going to piss him off O.oGeoKat

Many male soldiers said women simply wouldn't be physically capable of doing the jobs, or were in favor of letting women into the trenches so long as physical fitness requirements were maintained.

Hey ladies. That 35lb ruck sack that you carried in air assault school is about to double and on occasion triple once in the InfantrySteve Myers

Several women agreed, and many other soldiers, both female and male, noted that women have effectively been in combat roles for some time.

Women have BEEN in combat, folks. Opening combat arms jobs up is no big deal, if standards are preserved and professionalism observed.dorkelina

"Combat Ban" lifted - which had already happened by 2008, if not earlier. Pic is of female soldier with infantry... http://fb.me/1GWJp7bbqNS Webster

That's awesome they overturned ban on women being in combat. I was in a combat unit so the ban didn't really pertain to me. #MilitaryPoliceHeather

I have no problem with this. Yes combat has been a mans world forever. A woman is a life giver and she can take a life just as quick. They can shoot just like us. I am not saying that a 90lb woman can strap on a full combat load ( infantry ) right off the bat. It will take some time. I do know a few females in the military that would make fine grunts if they were slowed. If they read this they know who they are. This world is all going Co-Ed no war should be no differentClinton Britt

Finally, some saw simple pragmatism in the decision and were ready to move on to addressing other quality-of-life issues for women in the military.

Maybe now Phyllis Schlafly and that annoying bunch of civilian women who for unknown reasons were included in committees on women in the military will shut up and go home and finish their knitting. Women like those in Army and Marine Corps military police units have been in combat roles for years- not to mention women fighter pilots. Israeli women have served alongside their male combat roles since the inception of their military. Maybe the fact that only 1% of Americans are volunteering for our perpetual wars makes this change an inevitability. It will be interesting to see how the policy is implemented. My main concern is the safety of American women in any role in the military from sexual assault by their supposed brothers in arms. The thousands of sexual assaults on women in the US military services by recruiters, basic training instructors (as evidenced by the recent convictions of Air Force basic training instructors for multiple charges of rape), by classmates at the service academies and by their seniors while on active duty speaks to the endemic disrespect for women in the military which is the real threat, not what their MOS or rating is.Christine Weisen

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